Ranchi: The Medical Council of India(MCI), is withholding the recognition of 13 medical colleges of which 3 happen to be in Jharkhand, announced Union minister of state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Friday. Minister Choubey was in Jharkhand in connection with the Prime Minister’s visit and was hopeful of chief minister Raghubar Das raising the matter with Narendra Modi.

“Owing to the oath of secrecy I am not supposed to speak at length on this issue. I can only say that MCI has submitted a report to the Union health ministry about 13 medical colleges that do not fulfill criteria to start courses,” said Choubey. He opined that sometimes MCI acted in hastily, despite being responsible to provide uniform and high standards of medical education.

Though the three colleges to not be granted recognition were not named, it was obvious that the three referred colleges were the newly opened colleges in Dumka, Hazaribagh, and Palamau, where the state government was interested in introducing MBBS courses from the next study session

“We are taking legal opinion on the MCI report. But I have suggested to the MCI that colleges with 70 percent basic infrastructure in place could be granted recognition so that classes can begin,” he said.

Choubey on Thursday evening admitted having discussed the medical college’s issue with state health minister Ramchandra Chandrvanshi and chief minister Raghubar Das at length. “I believe the issue of recognition will be sorted out. Possibly, the chief minister will raise this matter with the Prime Minister,” he said.

The state last year had approved the establishment of medical colleges in three districts. Funds worth Rs 509 crore for Hazaribagh, Rs 485 crore for Dumka, and Rs 471 crore for Palamau had been sanctioned approval.

Choubey also appreciating the Jharkhand government’s efforts to improve the state the health minister said, “Health services in Jharkhand will improve further after the construction of AIIMS in Deoghar, among the projects the Prime Minister initiated on Friday. An Rs 441crore airport will also come-up in Deoghar. AIIMS in Deoghar will benefit the people of Bihar and Bengal also,”

Choubey announced the opening of 250 public medical centres in Jharkhand for people to get generic medicines at concessional prices

“It has been seen that doctors don’t prefer generic medicines. The government has appealed them to prescribe generic medicines. Medicine companies have also been asked to fix a reasonable rate of medicines or else they will be dealt with according to law,” he told the Telegraph.